Solderless connector lug for cables and the like



Oct. l, 1935i.v F.HANLAN SOL-DERLESS i CONNECTER LUG FOR CABLES AND THE LIKE Y Filed Aug. 2o, 1934 /Evl ,d la' Patented 'Och l, 1935v UNITED STATES 2,015,896 soLnEnLEss coNNEoron LUG Foa CABLES .mn :ma une Frederick to H. B. Sherman Battle Creek, Mich.,

Hanan, mme creek, man., assigner' Manufacturing Company a corporation of Michigan Application snm: zo, 1m, semi No. umm s claims. (ci. iva-.269)

' This invention is a novel solderless lug or connector and method of making same. My connector'is particularly adapted for binding electrical conductors or cables to terminals and the` "I like, but is also readily adaptable for connecting other cables, cords, or ropes to xtures or supports. The principal object of the invention is to provide a lug or connector of the. above type which may be attached directly to the conductor or cable without requiring soldering, and is frictionally secured tothe coable or conductor by the use of a l non-removable screw orY screws. My connector 'is symmetrical in design, simple and economical A to manufacture, and conforms to the requirements of the'Underwriters Laboratories.

Hereto'fore lugs or connectors have beenusually .secured to the cables or conductorsby soldering I the ends of the cable into bores in the lugs; but there has developed a demand for a safe and prac- 2 ltical lug which may beapplied without solder, and my novel connector is `unique in constructionand designedto meet the requirements of simplicity and economy in manufacture and may be easily and quickly applied to the conductor or cable and insures a safe strong connection. y

t I Will first explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates several practical embodiments thereof, to enable others to adopt and use the same; and then summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations for whichprotection is desired.

In said drawing:

' Fig. lis a perspective view of. one of my noveln solder-less connectors applied to the end of an electrical cable or/ conductor. y Fig. 2 is enlarged longitudinal section through .the connector as applied to a cable or conductor.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2. s Fig. 4 is an end view of the connector detached from .the `cable looking into the sleeve.

Fig. 5 is an end view looking at the opposite end of the connector.` Y f Y to Fig. 2, show- Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar ing a modied form ci the connecto 1 `.As shown in the drawing my novel lug or connector preferably comprises a connectingl piece I formed of a single piece of metal, preferably copper, having oppomtely extending end portions la. Ib and an intermediate portion Ic disposed at an angle to the parallel end portions. In' one end portion Iais abore or opening Id whereby the connecting' piece I may be attached to .aterminal or other support (not shown) Yin the usual of parts,l

. tively prevent the screw' from becoming manner. In the opposite end portion or shank ib b is a tapped bore le (Fig. 2) in which is engaged a binding screw 2, hereinafter described. y'I'heshankend lbisenteredwithlnabandcr sleeve 3 which may be made either from tubing or drawn from sheet metal, said sleeve (when the parts are iinally assembled) having a ilat portion 3a adapted to fit on the shank 'Ib of piece I, and the sides of the sleeve are pinchedor bent in (as at l 3b) under the shank Ib so as to retain the sleeve lo and shank in fixed relation (Figs. 1 and 2). The lower portion of the sleeve 3 is preferably rounded as at 3c, and in therounded portion 3c may be fpormed one or more inwardly projecting transverse ribs or corrugations 3d adapted to engage I5' the bared` end E of the electrical conductor or wire E, and assist in holding the end of the wire in the connector. l n

In the upper end of the sleeve 3 is an opening 3e V somewhat larger in diameter than the l0' tapped bore -Ie of shank Ib, andthrough opening 3e screw 2 projects. c The screw 2 prevents longitudinal movement of the sleeve; on the shank lb.

In the tapped bore le of the shank and extending through the enlarged bore 3e of sleeve I is a as headless screw 2 which is inserted into bore le .from the underside of the shank Ib before the sleeve 3 is mounted on the shank. The lower end of screw 2 `is enlarged as at 2a to form a broad nat contact surface with the bared end of the cable E, and to prevent the screw from being` withdrawn from the shank Ib when engaged with -sleeve 3 ashereinatter explained. The upper end of the screw may be provided :with a slot V2l) for engagement with a screw-driver or other tool (Figs. 1-5), or with a non-circular portion 2d (Flg. 6) for engagement with a wrench.

The enlargement 2a is slightly smaller in diameter than the width of the sleeve 3 so that when the sleeve is` crimped as at 3b under the sides of the shank Ib the enlargement `will eRecdisengaged from the shank as the enlargement will strike the contracted portion 3c' of the sleeve. Hence the screw 2 is non-removable after assembly of the parts. Hencee the crimping of the sid ofthe sleeve performs the double function of locking the shank to the sleeve, and-of narrowing the width between sides-of the sleeve while at the same time necessarily foreshortening the sleeve.

rection the head will contact with the walls of before the screw becomes disengaged from the bore of the shank, thereby preventing removal of the screw from the sleeve after crimping, although before crimping and before corresponding foreshortening of the sleeve the parts could be assembled as hereinafter specified.

Screw 2 is preferably of brass or bronze, and if desired may be necked between the portion 2a and the threaded portion, as shown in the drawing. It' also might have a square, octagon or hexagon head 2d (Fig. 6) instead of a slot 2b (Fig. 2) so that it could be applied with a'wrench instead of a screw-driver; but in any case, the head would be no larger than the root of the thread to permit its insertion through opening 3e of the sleeve in assembling the connector.

In Fig. 6 a modification is shown in which the shank portion Ib is increased in length, as is also the sleeve 3; and a plurality of screws 2 are lutilized instead of a single screw as in Fig. 1.

'I'he corru'gations4 or ribs 3d in the sleeve are for the purpose of preventing the wire or cable from slipping, and hence increase the holding power.- These might in practice be of different shape or location, or may be omitted altogether; also the exact cross-sectionall shape of the sleevey might'be varied somewhat from that shown in the drawing.

In assembling the connector, after the parts have been formed, the screw 2 is inserted from below into the threaded bore le in the shank Ib. Sleeve 3 is then slipped over the' shank lb with the screw 2 projecting through opening 3e, then the sleeve is fastened tothe shank by the application of pressure to pinch or crimp the sleeve under the sides of the shank Ib, as indicated at 3b. Thus the shank is held firmly within the sleeve. The portion Ic of the connecting piece I closes one end of Ithe sleeve 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and thereby enhances the Aappearance `of the connector lug.

My device provides a solderless connector which is symmetrical in design, simple and economical in manufacture, and one of the important features of which is the provision of the non-removable screw 2. The diameter of the head 2d on-the bottom of the screw 2, which prevents its removal from the sleeve', is slightly less than the inside width of the sleeve 3. The body ofthe screw 2 is preferably large in diameter in order to secure strength.

The connector will be made in various sizes to suit various sizes of cable but any size connector will engage several varying diameters of conductors or cables, as the binding screw'V 2 will follow through and bind a smaller cable than that 3,615,896 the sleeve adjacent the rounded outer portion 3cl f for which the connector was normally intended. The length of the shank Ib where the bolted contact is secured may vary, and also the length of the sleeve 3 might vary in proportion as requirements develop; and the lug may contain more than one screw 2, as shown in Fig. 6.

I claim:-

1. That method of4 forming connectors for cables and the like, consisting in forming a member having a -threaded bore; forming a sleeve 10 with an opening corresponding with the threaded bore of the member; inserting a screw in the said I bore, said screw having an enlarged head on its inner end; assembling such sleeve and shank by enteringthe member into the sleeve, the projecting end of the screw extending through the opening in the sleeve; and then crimping the sleeve under and against the side edges of the member to lock the sleeve thereon; the head of the screw by contacting with the narrowed and foreshortened walls of the sleeve preventing removal of the screw from the connector in the inward direction after the parts are thus assem bled; the head of the screw'preventing removal of the screw in theoutward direction. 2. A connector comprising a member having a bore; a seamless sleeve surrounding said member and having an opening in one side registering with the bore in the member; means for maintaining the member against the side of the sleeve having the opening therein; and a headless screw in the bore projecting through said opening and adapted to bind the end of a cable inserted in the sleeve below the member, said screw having an enlargement on its inner end preventing removal 35 I of the screw in the outward direction, the length of the screw being such that when screwed in the inward direction the enlargement will contact with the walls of the sleeve and prevent removal of the screw from the connector.

, V13. A connector comprising amember having a f-bore and having side edges; a seamless sleeve surrounding said member and having an opening in one side registering with the bore in the member; vthe sides of the sleeve-being crimped under and along the side edges of said member; and a headless screw in the bore projecting through said opening and adapted to b ind thek end of a cable inserted in the sleeve below the member, said screw having an enlargement on its inner end to prevent removal of the screw'in the outward direction, the length of the screw being such that when screwed in the inward direction the enlargement will contact with the walls of the sleeveand prevent removal of the screw from the connector after the parts are assembled.

FREDERIQKHANLAN. 

